nities” category, which set its all-time
third-quarter record — with the help of a
$15.6 million gain — totaling $54.1 million. “Health and fitness” improved by
$10.8 million, pushing its total to $71.5
million — nearly an 18-percent increase
from 3Q 2005.

On the losing side, the “Home and garden” category plummeted $8.1 million —
a 56-percent decline. Meanwhile, the
“Music and video” category lost $6.6 million. “Entertainment, travel and psychic
services” stumbled 71.4-percent from last
year’s successes, while the “Electronics”
category shorted out, losing 60. 6 percent,
or nearly $2 million.

Satellite Loses Orbit

Following a media distribution trend
that started in the second quarter, national
cable again led in 3Q 2006 with a $19.7
million boost of 19.7-percent. Broadcast’s
extra $5.9 million was enough for a 4.2-per-
cent bump. Spending in satellite television
decreased by $3.4 million.

The total number of timeslots purchased slid by 2,987 yet stayed just above
the 400,000 mark — 400,193 to be exact.
Despite the extra spending in national
cable, its number of timeslots decreased by
4,247 — a 5.27-percent slip. Broadcast
showed the only signs of life, gaining
25,737 timeslots for a 9.7-percent gain.
Satellite lost its 23,535 3Q 2005 gain by
losing 24,477 in 3Q 2066 — a 42.8-per-
cent dive. Most of the increase in total
spending can be attributed to the steady
rise in the average cost of a half-hour block
of time. The average rose by 9. 2 percent —
triple the rate of the first two quarters of
2006 — or $60.53, to $717.81.

Top- 30 Trilogy

Similar to second-quarter 2006, the top
30 markets remained popular in the third

Fig. 3

Third-Quarter 2006 Long-FormBillings in the Top 30 Markets

$ 80 million

Source:
Response
Magazine

$ 60 million

$ 40 million

$ 20 million

0

$70,473,738

Top 10

Markets M arkets
11-20 2 1-30

$43,945,049

$31,252,751

Total: $145,671,538

Fig. 4

Third-Quarter 2006 Long-FormMedia Distribution

Source:
Response
Magazine

NATIONAL
CABLE:
$119,930,200
45.1%

BROADCAST:$147,840,20048.1%

SATELLITE:

$19,492,900

6.8%

Total: $287,263,300

Fig. 5

Number of Time Slots and Percentage of TotalTime Slots Purchased in Third-Quarter 2006